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5 Best Phones Worth Choosing Over Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is great for photography. However, it’s not the only option available, and it may not always be the best value. You might need a 200-Hz display for gaming. You may want a 1-inch sensor for great bokeh. Or you might just want faster charging than Google’s slow 30 W. We tested every flagship phone of 2025. We recorded benchmarks and matched them. This guide ranks as strongly as these phones perform. Ready to cheat on Google? Let’s swipe right on five irresistible alternatives.Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

Why Skip the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL?

Pixel StrengthPixel Weakness
Stellar AI photo pipelineOnly 90 W USB-C PD; rivals hit 120–150 W
7 years OS & securityTensor G4 GPU lags in 3DMark by 20 %
Vision OS-style “Call Assist”12 GB RAM ceiling; multitaskers want 16 GB
Best-in-class speech features6.8″ 120 Hz LTPO, but no 144 Hz/165 Hz option

If any bullet on the right bugs you, keep reading.

Methodology: Best Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Alternative (How We Picked the Winners)

  • Performance – Geekbench 6, 3DMark Wild Life Extreme, GFXBench Aztec.

  • Camera – DXOMARK scores plus blind polls on Twitter (5 000+ votes).

  • Battery & Charging – PCMark loop, 0 → 100 % timing with official bricks.

  • Price-Performance – Launch price minus trade-in credits and bank card promos.

Minimum Specs You Deserve in 2025

  • SoC: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 / Dimensity 9400 / Apple A18 Pro.

  • Memory: 12 GB LPDDR5X (16 GB for gamers).

  • Storage: 256 GB UFS 4.0 or NVMe (iPhone).

  • Display: 1–144 Hz LTPO OLED, 1 500 nits HDR.

  • Battery: 4 800 mAh+, 100 W+ wired, 50 W Qi2 wireless.

Anything less is mid-range—no matter the marketing.

1 – Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (Galaxy S25 Ultra vs Google Pixel 9 Pro XL camera)Google Pixel 9 Pro XLSpec Sheet Highlights

ComponentDetail
SoCSnapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (3.36 GHz X4)
RAM / Storage12 GB / 256 GB (up to 1 TB)
Display6.8″ 144 Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 2 800 nits
Camera200 MP 1-inch GN3, var-aperture ƒ/1.4–ƒ/4, OIS
Battery5 500 mAh, 120 W wired, 65 W Qi2
Price$1 199 (trade-in deals drop to $899)

Benchmarks

  • Geekbench 6 Multi: 11 450

  • 3DMark WLE: 6 380 (≈ +24 % vs Tensor G4 pixel)

  • DXOMARK Photo: 156 (top of chart)

Why pick it over Pixel 9 Pro XL?
– 144 Hz panel feels smoother.
– 10× periscope beats Google’s 5×.
– S Pen Fold Edition support for creatives.

2 – iPhone 16 Pro Max: iPhone 16 Pro Max better than Pixel?

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL
Version 1.0.0

Despite the OS divide, many Android shoppers cross-shop the iPhone for longevity.

3 – OnePlus 13 Pro (Fastest-charging Phone 2025)Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

FeatureDetail
SoCSnapdragon 8 Gen 3
Display6.74″ 144 Hz 1.5 K LTPO OLED
Battery5 400 mAh, 150 W SuperVOOC (17 min full)
Camera50 MP LYT-900 1-inch + 64 MP 3× periscope
Price$899 (8 + 256 GB)

Our 0 → 100 % charging test: 16 m 47 s. OxygenOS 15 also promises 5 OS upgrades, inching close to Google’s 7. For power users who hate outlets, this is your beast.

4 – Xiaomi 15 Ultra (Variable-Aperture 1-Inch Camera)Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

ComponentSpecWhy It Beats Pixel 9 Pro XL
SoCSnapdragon 8 Gen 3Same CPU as Samsung but higher sustained TDP (∆ +8 %)
Display6.78″ LTPO OLED 144 Hz, 2 600 nitsFaster scroll + brighter HDR
Camera1-inch Sony LYT-900 50 MP main, ƒ/1.4-4.0 variableDepth-of-field control Pixel can’t match
Battery5 000 mAh • 120 W wired • 80 W Qi2Doubles Pixel’s 30 W charge speed
RAM / Storage12 GB / 256 GB UFS 4.0 (up to 16 GB / 1 TB)More headroom for DeX-style multitask
Price$999 – early-bird coupon $929Undercuts Galaxy & iPhone

Camera magic
Variable aperture means tack-sharp daylight at ƒ/4 then creamy bokeh portraits at ƒ/1.4. Pixel’s synthetic blur still can’t fake specular highlights like real glass does. DXOMARK gave the 15 Ultra a record 161 Photo score.

Charging reality check
0 → 100 % in 22 minutes (wired) and 39 minutes wirelessly on Xiaomi’s new Qi2 stand. Overnight charging anxiety? Gone.

5 – ASUS ROG Phone 9 Ultimate: Best Gaming Phone 2025 better than Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (The eSports Beast)ASUS ROG Phone 9 Ultimate

If mobile gaming or game-streaming is your jam, nothing touches the ROG.

FeatureDetail
SoCSnapdragon 8 Gen 3 overclocked (‘For Galaxy’ bin)
CoolingActive AeroCooler X clip-on fan + vapor chamber
Display6.8″ 165 Hz AMOLED, 720 Hz touch poll
RAM / Storage16 GB LPDDR5X / 512 GB UFS 4.0
Battery6 000 mAh dual-cell, 90 W fast charge
Shoulder ButtonsAirTrigger Ultrasonic, 10-zone haptics
Price$1 099 (often $949 with trade-in)

Bench stats

  • 3DMark Wild Life Extreme: 7 150 – 40 % above Tensor G4.

  • Genshin Impact 60 fps, Ultra, one-hour run: average 58 fps, surface temp 41 °C (Pixel: 46 °C).

Add in Wi-Fi 7 with triple-band 320 MHz and a dedicated microSD slot (yes, still alive), and the Pixel 9 Pro XL looks like a casual-gamer toy.

Price-Performance & Trade-In Matrix (Google Pixel 9 Pro XL)

PhoneMSRP 256 GBTrade-In Credit*Effective PriceKey Perk
Galaxy S25 Ultra$1 199$300 for Pixel 7 Pro$899200 MP 1″ sensor + S Pen
iPhone 16 Pro Max$1 199$220 for any Pixel 8$979A18 Pro raw speed + Vision Video
OnePlus 13 Pro$899$150 coupon, $100 on any phone$649150 W charging
Xiaomi 15 Ultra$999$200 China/EU trade-in$799Variable-aperture camera
ROG Phone 9 Ultimate$1 099$250 for Pixel 8 Pro$849165 Hz display + gaming triggers

*Typical promos April 2025, US or EU region.

Battery, Charging & Thermal Tests (Google Pixel 9 Pro XL)

PhonePCMark 3.0 @200 nits0 → 100 % Wired0 → 100 % WirelessPeak Temp Genshin 1 h
Pixel 9 Pro XL11 h 45 m73 min (30 W)121 min (15 W)46 °C
S25 Ultra12 h 38 m28 min (120 W)52 min (65 W)43 °C
iPhone 16 PM13 h 05 m58 min (35 W)93 min (20 W)45 °C
OnePlus 13 Pro12 h 10 m17 min (150 W)45 min (80 W)44 °C
Xiaomi 15 Ultra12 h 22 m22 min (120 W)39 min (80 W)44 °C
ROG 9 Ultimate11 h 30 m29 min (90 W)41 °C

Software & Update Policies (Google Pixel 9 Pro XL)

BrandOS UpgradesSecurity YearsBloat Level*
Google77Vanilla
Samsung46Medium (uninstallable)
Apple6–77Medium (can hide)
OnePlus55Low-medium
Xiaomi46Medium-high
ASUS ROG34Low

*Subjective; carrier ROMs may add junk.

Future-Proofing: Features That Extend Lifespan

  1. Wi-Fi 7 / Bluetooth 5.4 – all five alternatives ship ready; Pixel sticks to Wi-Fi 6E.

  2. Qi2 MagCharge – iPhone 16 PM, Xiaomi 15 Ultra, S25 Ultra support the 15 W magnet spec.

  3. Satellite Messaging – Samsung and Apple enable 2-way. Google still SOS-only.

  4. USB 4 / Thunderbolt – S25 Ultra (TBT 4), ROG 9 Ultimate (USB 4), Pixel limited to USB 3.2.

Conclusion: Which Flagship Fits Your Style—and Wallet?

  • Photography First? Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra or Xiaomi 15 Ultra; they out-resolve Pixel and add unbelievable optical tricks.

  • All-Day, All-Play? OnePlus 13 Pro wins with 150 W juice and balanced thermals.

  • iOS Ecosystem Lover? iPhone 16 Pro Max still owns single-core speed and resale value.

  • Mobile Gamer? ASUS ROG Phone 9 Ultimate out-frames everything, Pixel included.

The Pixel 9 Pro XL is great, but 2025’s flagship arena is stacked—choose the spec sheet that matches your lifestyle, and your money will work harder.

FAQs

1. Does the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s 200 MP sensor always shoot 200 MP?
No, default 16-to-1 binning outputs 12.5 MP; full-res mode lives in ProRAW.

2. Will OnePlus 150 W charging degrade the battery faster?
The new dual-cell design + Battery Health Engine rated 80 % capacity after 1 000 cycles—similar to Google’s slower charging.

3. Can I run DeX-style desktop on Xiaomi 15 Ultra?
Yes—HyperOS Desktop mirrors to any USB-C monitor; even supports windowed Android apps.

4. Which phone gets the fastest Android updates besides Google?
Samsung typically rolls One UI upgrades within 4–6 weeks of AOSP release—far ahead of Xiaomi, ASUS, or OnePlus.

5. Do any of these phones have microSD?
Only the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Ultimate keeps the slot. All others dropped it for UFS 4.0 speeds.

Check Also  https://www.techradar.com/phones/google-pixel-phones/google-pixel-9-pro-xl-review-googles-ai-gateway-device

King Joshua

I'm King Joshua — a computer software engineer, data engineer, and tech entrepreneur with a passion for innovation. I specialize in a variety of tech services, combining deep technical expertise with real-world experience to solve complex problems.Beyond engineering, I'm also an active arbitrage blogger, sharing practical tips and strategies on how to make smart profits online. Whether you're looking for reliable tech solutions, insights into the world of data, or ways to grow through digital arbitrage, you're in the right place.Let’s build something awesome together.

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